As campaigns wind down, Tanzanian voters must now choose between Chama cha Mapinduzi candidate Dr John Magufuli and Chadema’s Edward Lowassa, the main contenders for the country’s presidency.
In
their campaigns, both sides agree on one thing: The outgoing
administration has left most Tanzanians in abject poverty, and presided
over rising corruption.
The leading candidates have, therefore, both been campaigning on a platform of change.
Dr
Magufuli has promised to fight corruption by establishing a special
court, in essence admitting that his party has failed to deal with the
problem. He has also promised to tackle unemployment.
Another
favourite pledge of the works minister, with his reputation for hard
work, is to rid the civil service of lazy workers to improve delivery of
services to citizens.
Other
promises, trotted out during campaign rallies by the presidential
candidate include poverty alleviation, improving security, improving
infrastructure and the economy in general and reviving industries.
Chadema’s
promises on the other hand include ending unemployment, free education
from primary to tertiary level, revival of the railways, welfare of
farmers, increased investment in agriculture, support for industries to
generate jobs, addressing transport within the cities and ensuring
adequate water supply.
A
psychologist and political activist Prof Kitila Mkumbo says CCM’s
promise to create a specialised anti-corruption court is mere rhetoric
because “institutions to deal with corruption already exist — namely the
judiciary and Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) —
but these have remained toothless because of the weaknesses in the
system of the day.”
Mr
Lowassa’s most prominent promises are improving education, helping
petty traders flourish and allowing farmers to sell their products in
any market of their choices.
He
has promised to solve the country’s power woes and allow small miners
to benefit from the rich mineral resources around the country, and to
review all mining contracts in order to ensure that they benefit
Tanzanians.
However,
Mr Lowassa’s critic, former leader of the Tanzania Youth Coalition
Humphrey Polepole, says the emphasis should have been in solving
unemployment first, a critical challenge that has caused young people to
lean towards the opposition.
The
only female presidential candidate, Anna Mghwira from Alliance for
Change and Transparency (ACT), says her first priority will be to uphold
the principles of the Arusha Declaration which had set forth the
country’s leadership codes. According to her, all woes in Tanzania
emanate from poor leadership.
But her critics call her a novice in politics who has no clear plan of how to implement this.
Prof
Benedict Mongula lecturer in development studies, says it is very
difficult to entrust the State House to a person without any kind of
formal experience in leadership.
The
selection of running mates has been of particular interest though. CCM
running mate Samia Suluhu Hassan was picked with an agenda of attracting
women voters.
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